Beautiful Ways
by Liz Inc
Summary: [On Hold] Something had happened to him...something dreadful. And because Tea didn't know what that 'something' was, she was absolutely determined to find out...no matter what. TeaSeto


I must say that I am _very_ surprised with myself…I didn't think I'd _ever_ manage to start this, and yet here's the first chapter, ready and waiting to be viewed. Maybe what's motivated me is this crazy-psycho _Kaiba_ obsession phase I'm currently undergoing…(O.o) Yes…_very_ surprised am I.

**_Just a few minor notes_**: First of all, _yes_…the title and many of the thoughts composed within this story are based on Pat McGee Band's song, "Beautiful Ways." Second, this story is _strictly_ Seto/Tea…need I say more? Yea…_that's_ what I thought. There may be few diminutive hints here and there directed towards other unions, but _nothing_ major at all. Third, this story takes place _seven years _prior to the present, and will remain in the past for either two or three chapters…I haven't exactly decided how many as of yet. Lastly, this story _will_ _not_ contain any spirits, or "Yamis". The pharaoh will be Yugi's older brother Atem, Marik will be Malik's fraternal twin brother, and Bakura and Ryou will be identical twins. This means that the millennium items _do_ _not_ exist either and that the battles fought to obtain them never occurred. HOWEVER, there is _one_ battle that will take place, but I'm _not_ gonna reveal which one because it's not going to occur in the same way that it did in the actual show. Sorry…you'll just have to wait!

"talking"

'thoughts'

(gasps, coughs, sighs, etc.)

Rated PG-13 for swearing.

Disclaimer: Just think about this for a moment: _why_ in G-d's name would I need to write my own version of a copyrighted television series if I already _owned_ the damn thing! (O.o)

**ooOooOoo**

Chapter 1: **Alone**

The small brunette gazed soundlessly out her blurred window, her face utterly pallid and expressionless. Her weary, azure eyes portrayed no signs of sentiment or vitality; they merely gaped listlessly into the distance, a dark, grayish hue looming over them like a pair of insidious cataracts. Short, brown locks hung loosely around her frail neck, while untrimmed bangs twisted and tangled amongst her thick, protruding eyelashes. As a whole, this young girl appeared to be nothing more than a mere _definition_; one of what it _truly_ meant to feel meticulously _alone_.

She had been driving down an endless country road with an unfamiliar woman for the past two _excruciating_ hours, unable to contemplate anything but the inevitable doom that _anxiously_ awaited her arrival as she drew nearer and nearer with each passing mile. If it hadn't been for the fact that she could still feel the slow and torturous numbing of her dismembered heart, young Tea Gardner could've _irrefutably_ sworn that she had died and gone straight to hell.

"Hey there hun, we're here now…you still alive back there?"

The young girl didn't respond, but rather continued to stare unblinkingly into the gruesome, gray sky, slowly being enveloped by thick, black clouds. _God_, did she loathe that woman's _stupid_ southern accent…why couldn't she just _shut_ up and leave her the hell _alone_?

"Sweetie? You asleep?" The woman tilted the front view mirror until it reflected the apathetic visage of the distraught child that sat behind her. She let out a mournful sigh and gently brushed a short wisp of her blonde hair out of her vivid, green eyes. "Alrighty then…you don't _have_ to answer me."

Tea, of course, remained silent. There was no _reason_ for her to answer that blonde _bimbo_…she was a _stranger_, and she absolutely _refused_ to talk to strangers.

After a short moment of silence, she heard a door idly creak its way open, a pair of pointy heels click noisily on the pavement, and then a loud bang as the door slammed shut. A few seconds later, her own door was yanked open, but for some reason, everything continued to appear hazy…not only that, but her eyes were beginning to feel like they were slowly being consumed by white-hot flames.

"Tea…_honey_, don't cry. _Everythin's_ gonna be alright, I _promise_. Now go on and wipe those pretty 'lil eyes of yours…you don't wanna be lookin' all flustered when you're first introduced to the other children."

The impassive girl bit her tongue in order to suppress a growl. _Crying_? She wasn't…

Without warning, Tea suddenly felt something wet and relatively warm, slowly descend her pale cheeks. She leisurely lowered her heavy eyelids and let out an inaudible gasp, feeling _more_ of the hot substance flow smoothly down her emotionless face. No sooner had she reopened her eyes, did the world come into focus. Her window had never been indistinct…she had been staring out into the world through hot, glossy tears.

"Tea?"

She languidly shifted her eyes over towards the tall blonde and snarled, precariously narrowing her eyes as if to say, "What the friggin' hell do _you_ want!"

The woman sighed and held out her hand. "Come on now…what do ya say we go git your stuff outta the trunk and head on inside?"

Tea ignored the woman's hand and hoped down from the big, black SUV herself, leaning limply against its bulky hindquarters. She then proceeded to heedlessly wipe her moistened face on her sleeve, protectively wrap her arms around her body, and continue to snarl at nothing in particular.

The woman slowly retracted her hand and shut the door, an expression of solemn defeat plastered upon her pretty face. "Righty then, I'll just go and git your stuff myself…you can go on ahead if ya like."

Within seconds, Tea was off and running, greatly thanking the Lord with each leap she took. One more moment with that woman would have _surly_ been the death of her…that is, if it was true that she hadn't _already_ died and entered the seventh, fiery level of hell.

She halted in the middle of the front yard and scanned her surroundings. The outside of the building looked harmless enough with its classy gray and redbrick exterior and triangular-shaped roof. There was a small, white canopy hanging securely over the glass entrance, with a large, glossy window stationed on either of its sides; the one on the left was covered in what appeared to be children's drawings, while the other remained untouched. The front yard contained a small playground with a four-piece swing set, a large slide, and a fair-sized jungle gym, and in the very center of the lot, a large, circular fountain sat teeming with life.

"See?" the woman remarked merrily as she briskly strolled past the girl, dragging a small, black suitcase behind her. "I _told_ you that it wasn't gonna be all that bad. It's actually quite _charmin'_, if I may say so."

'Speak for yourself, _lady_,' Tea thought turbulently as she shoved her hands into her jeans' pockets and reluctantly followed in the blonde's footsteps. '_You_ don't have to live here for the next eight, _stupid_ years of your life.'

**ooOooOoo**

"So what happened?"

"Parent's got into a fatal car accident with a drunk driver…they had managed to survive a few hours in the back of an 'ol ambulance, but I'm afraid they never made it to the hospital."

"…She lost _both_ at the _same_ time?"

"Afraid so."

"(sigh) Haven't had a case like that since those poor Nakamura brothers arrived four or five years ago."

"Yeah…I hope this sort of tragedy doesn't start to become somethin' that we encounter often."

"Mhmm…so, how long ago did it happen?"

"About a month, month 'n a half."

"They waited _that_ long before placing her in a proper home?"

"Well, the police had informed me that she'd bin put under the temporary care of an elderly neighbor directly after the incident occurred, and remained in her company throughout the coarse of her parent's burial prep, the funeral itself, and the auctionin' of her remainin' property – the voucher to the house, I believe, was handed over to the bank. But apparently, the widow was much too old to keep her permanently, so…well, you know how the rest of the story goes."

"Yes, it wouldn't be right to put the girl in a family that wasn't bound to last as long as she would…but honestly Leela, are you absolutely _certain_ that she doesn't have any other living relatives, like grandparents? An aunt or uncle? Maybe even a second cousin, uh…_twice_ removed?"

"As far as I can tell, no…there isn't. Her family's not from around here…originated in America I do believe, so even if there _was_ someone, I don't know how we'd _ever_ manage to locate them."

"Hmmm…well, never mind that then. Tell me, just how old is this girl? She doesn't appear to be very young."

"She's isn't…'round ten, ten 'n a half years."

"Oh, that's the absolute _worst_ possible age for a child to be put in a position like this."

"Tell me about it."

"And, you say she has yet to speak a _single_ word?"

"To _me_ at least. The only reason I know as much as I do is because I had taken a quick peek at her file. But regardless, I don't think she's gone _totally_ mute. I think a little TLC should be enough to awaken that 'lil voice inside her."

"Oh yes…I agree."

"Hey, I took the liberty of fillin' out all the paper work down at the station, so neither one of us has to go back. She's all ours for now…"

Tea viciously gritted her teeth as she listened intently to the whispers of the two women from a nearby couch, one of the voices belonging to the blonde lady that had just brought her in. What, did they think she was _stupid_ or something? That her brain was too _infantile_ to comprehend what they were saying? What the _friggin'_ hell did they take her for, a _monkey_!

She slowly closed her eyes, scrunched up her legs, and buried her face in her knees, all the while contemplating how ironic it was that life always seemed to royally _suck_ on days she _wasn't_ prepared for it to be. And now that her most precious loved ones had been simultaneously seized from the earth, her life was most likely going to be that way for the rest of her lonesome life.

But why…why did it have to be _her_ parents? Why did _her_ life have to be the one to become so drastically altered? Why not someone else – there were so many _goddamn_ people in the world! Why not one of them? God…He must have made an error that day. He must've accidentally killed _her_ parents, when He had initially intended to mercilessly slaughter another's. Yes, it was all just a mistake - one, _big_ mistake, and this horrible predicament of hers was nothing but a mere dream…

**oOo**

_"Alright Tea, you behave for the babysitter tonight…your father and I only plan on staying at the party for a few hours, so we should be home soon."_

_"Yeah, yeah, I know the drill. Hey mom…you look **very** pretty tonight."_

_"Aw, thank you sweetie. Now come here and give me a hug…that's right. I'll see you soon, my little darling!"_

_"Bye mom…bye dad."_

_"Later, Tea…(whispers) The ice cream's hidden behind that huge stack of ice trays in the freezer! Feel free to-"_

_"Nice **try**, Leo, but I heard that!"_

_"Darn…nothing gets past that woman, does it? (sigh) Sorry kiddo…I tried."_

_"(laughs) It's okay dad…I forgive you."_

_"Heh, I just **knew** that there had to be a reason why you're my favorite little girl!"_

_"Tch, daaaad!_ _I'm your **only** little girl!"_

_"Honey, let's go! We're gonna be late!"_

_"Okay, okay…see you in the morning, kiddo."_

_"Bye dad…bye mom!"_

_"Bye dear!"_

_(The door slams shut.)_

**oOo**

"Oh mom…" she mouthed silently, tears consuming her tightly clenched eyes, "dad…_why_ did you have to leave me? I…" Before Tea could add anymore thought into her remorseful sermon, the sound of the two women's whispers once again invaded her ears.

"Aw look at her…"

"I know…"

"She must feel so alone. I hope she's able to make a few friends here…not too many people are interested in adopting a distrait pre-teen like herself, so she may be here for a while. A friend would definitely do her some good."

"(sigh) Ya know, _I'd_ take her in if I could."

"If you _could_, huh?"

"Yeah…but you know how Seth is. Always telling me how I should keep my personal and professional lives separate. It's just so hard sometimes though…especially when it comes to homeless children like her."

"Hmmm…"

"But yeah, you'd _better_ believe I'd take her…in an _instant_."

The young brunette abruptly lifted her crestfallen gaze, just as the blonde woman's ruby-red lips curved into a radiant smile. She snarled in resentment, hastily reburying her face in her knees. That woman was so _incredibly_ full of shit that it was pouring out her goddamn _ears_.

"What's her name again? Tea? Right, right…" She heard the old floorboards creak underneath someone's feet as they carefully made their way across the floor, their destination undoubtedly where she sat. "Tea? …_Tea_?"

Tea reluctantly elevated her annoyed visage and glared at the person kneeling before her. She had long, black hair, bright blue eyes, and appeared to be in her early to mid thirties. To be honest, the woman greatly resembled one of those _perfect_ _mothers_ you'd always see prancing around on television…

She wore jet-black stretch pants that ended just below the knee, a plain white tee shirt, a floral apron, black slippers, had hair tied back in a low ponytail, and, to top it all off, held a gooey spatula in her right hand. Yup…she could _definitely_ see this woman posing as some sort fictitious, motherly figure on one of those _totally_ overrated soap operas.

Tea narrowed her eyes in menacing manner, waiting for the jovial look on the woman's face to fade…either that, or for her to just _leave_ all together.

Instead, she smiled brightly and stood. "Hello Tea. My name is Keiko and I'm the owner of this cozy, little orphanage!" She gave a little wave of her spatula in order to add some sort of dramatic emphasis to the fact. "Believe it or not, there are around 19 others homes, such as this one, scattered all over Japan. Ever heard of a man by the name of Gozaburro Kaiba, President of Kaiba Corporation? Ha, ha, I didn't think so…much too far before your time. Well, Mr. Kaiba's the generous man who donated the money needed to build all of these lovely institutions. He actually comes around every few years to visit and see how we're all doing, though he hasn't done so in quite a while. Must be a _very_ busy man…"

Tea rolled her eyes. So, she'd be living in a stupid building that was funded by some old rich guy…_big_ _whoop_.

"Anyway," the blabbering woman continued, "since I own this place, ya might say that I've become your new caretaker. It is my responsibility to watch over you from now, until the day a very _lucky_ someone decides to come and take you under their wing. Ha, ha…and I can _assure_ you, I _don't_ bite!" She held up her free hand and smiled sheepishly. "Scouts honor, I'm as _friendly_ as they come!"

Tea raised an unamused brow. In other words, this woman was supposedly going to pose as her new _mommy_ from now until the day she was old enough to _leave_…

_Great._

Keiko paused for a moment as she directed her spatula towards the blonde woman standing a few feet behind her. "And I _know_ you've already been introduced to Leela over here, but guess what? This _won't_ be the last time you see her because she _just_ so happens to be another devoted member of our small staff, who, might I add, also includes a fun-loving woman named Angelica, and a very entertaining man by the name of Kira."

Tea's expression went from bored to grave, knowing full well that it didn't go unnoticed to the blonde.

"Just so ya know, there are approximately 20 other children that reside here, though only Kira and I live here with them 24/7. Leela arrives in the morning and departs sometime before or after dinner, while Angelica leaves in the morning and is here all throughout the night." She paused for a moment, noticing that Tea was curiously eyeing her cooking utensil. She gave off another one of her toothy grins, which, unbeknownst to her, caused the young girl to cringe; crouched back down; and shoved the gooey substance directly underneath her nose. "Wanna lick? It's fresh cookie dough…I'm in the process of baking chocolate chip cookies in the other room."

Tea scrunched up her nose and made a pushing motion with her tiny hands. Oh yeah…try _poisoning_ her with salmonella. That'll indubitably gain her trust…_as if_. She'll probably have to hire a taste tester to analyze all of her meals from then on…

Keiko frowned and stood back up. "No cookie dough? _Really_? You sure? Oh, alright…hey! The children are playing outback right now with Kira…why don't you go meet a few? There's a slight chance that Angelica may be back there as well, but I'm not too sure. She might have been detained at the doctor's office…"

Tea suppressed a grin. Yes, she would leave to supposedly go and "_meet_" these other kids…anything to get away from this woman and her _frighteningly_ amiable attitude…

She languidly hopped off the couch, shoved her hands into the pockets of her pale-gray zip-up, and forcefully dragged her feet out of the room, completely disregarding the two women as she sulked past them.

Keiko sighed. "Wow…that's _gotta_ be a first. No child has _ever_ turned down the opportunity to taste my homemade cookie dough!"

Leela grinned. "Yes, well _maybe_ this is some sort of sign…ya know, that ya need to _change_ your ways. You've been bakin' cookies upon every new child's arrival for years. Maybe it's about time ya switched to, oh I don't know…_pizza_ or somethin' like that."

The raven-haired woman raised a brow. "Or, maybe this is a sign that proves my theory about you being the most _delusional_ woman I've ever met."

Leela merely stuck out her tongue in response.

"Oh yes, that's _real_ mature…" Keiko paused for a moment to sample her gooey dough. "Oh gosh, and it's so _good_ this time too!"

The blonde rolled her eyes. "Let it go, Keiko…the girl obviously doesn't want to have anythin' to do with either of us."

The blue-eyed woman shrugged. "That doesn't mean we shouldn't _try_. Besides…time is the ultimate healer of all wounds, so I'm sure she'll come around eventually…we just need to be patient."

Leela nodded slowly. "I hope you're right, Keiko…I _really_ hope you're right."

**ooOooOoo**

Tea hurriedly exited the house through an open patio door and cautiously entered the backyard, being sure to obscure herself from everyone's wandering eyes. The yard was packed with many of children of all ages, happily entertaining themselves on a playing field that appeared to be _twice_ the size of the one she had seen in the front yard. The playground itself was surrounded by three large trees with beautiful purple flowers, and consisted of two _enormous_ six-piece swing sets, three relatively large slides, and a _massive_ jungle gym. The small brunette couldn't _help_ but stare in awe…

It was like every child's nirvana.

In front of the playground, there sat a fairly large sandbox equipped with three, little shoveling devices and a cluster of small buckets scattered throughout its midst. Her eyes soon meandered over towards the left side of the yard, only to observe a large, aboveground swimming pool, though it wasn't being used at the current moment. Over towards the left, she discovered at _least_ five sets of somewhat _quaint_ patio furniture, each implemented with a large, orange umbrella.

Upon making a brief scan of that particular area, Tea noticed an older man sitting at one of the tables, cheering on a group of boys who were in the middle of playing a rowdy game of basketball. He had dark, blonde hair, honey hued eyes, and looked as if he could be no older than 30. It was obvious that this person was the man Keiko had mentioned earlier, so she kept a small mental note of his present location, just to make sure she didn't _accidentally_ run into him later.

She sighed sorrowfully as she refocused her attention on the children at play. So _this_ was why they all looked so damn happy…the purpose of an orphanage, such as this one, was to replace the tender, loving care that a child could no longer receive from their deceased loved ones, with _every_ single materialistic item known to man…

Tea crossed her arms and scowled. Well, they sure as _hell_ weren't gonna brainwash _her_ with all this crap…she'd _never_ allow herself to succumb to this supposedly "auspicious life." Why? Simple…because she _knew_ better. There was absolutely _nothing_ in the entire world that could _ever_ replace the love her parents had once bestowed upon her…not even a paradise created from toys and ice cream.

Her thoughts were quickly penetrated by the sound of soft, mournful sobs, progressing from an unknown origin. She carefully stepped out from the dense foliage she had been hiding behind and briefly scrutinized the area, but everyone she laid eyes upon looked seemingly content with whatever it was they were doing. She strained her ears to listen…

"Seto, please come back _soon_. I just _hate_ being alone…"

The tiny voice appeared to be emanating from the left side of the building; how she had been able to _hear_ the damn kid in the first place was _beyond_ her…no. It was just plain _weird_. She paused for a moment before pursuing the soft sound, contemplating whether or not she should interfere. After all, her presence might have the opposite affect on him and dishearten him even more. She wasn't exactly _accustomed_ to the ways of an orphaned child as of yet, so she _really_ couldn't be too sure…

Tea sighed and quickly shook her head. _Screw_ her stupid theories and assumptions…of _course_ she had to intervene. _No_ little kid deserved to be alone.

Casting any remaining thoughts of hesitation and doubt aside, Tea dashed across the yard, halting at the point where the back yard met the side of the house. She slowly poked her head around the corner and frowned. A few feet down, there was a small boy around the age of five or six, sitting alone underneath a young weeping willow. He appeared to have long, black hair that disappeared behind his back, and after settling herself down beside him, she also discovered that he had vivid, blue eyes.

His crying came to an abrupt halt once he sensed her presence, and he whipped his head around in her direction, revealing wide, perplexed eyes. "W-who are you?

Tea sighed and leaned her head back against the tree's smooth trunk. "Eh, just another parentless kid that got thrown into this joint. Arrived about ten minutes ago…what about you?"

The boy lowered his watery gaze back towards the grassy ground and rested his chin on his knees. "Oh…I'm n-no one, really."

Tea raised a brow. "You're no one, huh? Well, may I ask why a _nobody_ like you is sitting over here, crying his eyes out?"

The boy looked slightly surprised by her sudden interest in his feelings, but managed to stutter in a quavering voice, "Um…it's just cause m-me and m-my big brother got s-split up from one another."

"Oh?"

"Yea…M-miss Angelica h-had to take him to the 'mergency r-room 'cause he hurt his ankle. Seto asked if I could g-go with, but M-miss Keiko and the other adults said n-no."

'Poor little guy,' Tea thought ruefully as she watched him struggle to verbalize his words between hiccups. 'I bet they don't even _realize_ how much they've hurt him!' Aloud, she asked, "You're brother didn't break anything, did he?"

"Break?"

"He didn't break his ankle, did he?"

The boy slowly shook his head. "N-no…he just sprained it. I d-don't even think he n-needed to go to the doctor, but they took h-him anyway…" Tears slowly cascaded down his sorrowful face as he strengthened his grip on his legs. "I h-hate it when I h-have to be far away from S-Seto. He's the only friend I g-got, and the only person who's w-willing to protect me. H-he did p-promise me that he'd be b-back soon, but I still f-feel lonely."

Tea scowled. Stupid adults…they could've at _least_ let the kid go along for the damn car ride!

"H-hey," he said suddenly.

"Yeah?"

The young boy carefully shifted his eyes over in her direction. "W-why do you care anyway? Nobody _ever_ cares about me. Lotsa people wanna be Seto's friend though…'specially all the girls, but I don't have anyone who wants to be my friend 'cept him."

Tea nodded. "Yeah well, that makes two of us…I don't have any friends either, being that I just got here and all. And, you really wanna know why I care?"

He gazed up at her with his sulky, tear-stained face. "Huh?"

"I mean, you want to know why I bothered to come and see what was wrong with you…right?"

"Yeah…why?"

"Because…" Tea began. "We kids gotta stick together…help one another out. But more importantly, we gotta keep those damn adults from ruining our _stupid_ lives…heh. I say we stick huge chunks of cooked meatloaf in each of their underwear drawers when they're not around. That'll teach 'em to stop being mean, especially after they get chased around by a hungry horde of rabid dogs!"

The raven-haired boy laughed softy. "Ha ha, _yeah_…let the doggies have it! I _hate_ meatloaf." He stuck out his tongue in to show his disgust.

Tea nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I do too…no use in wasting it, though."

Her acquaintance continued to giggle. "Ya know, you're really funny! Not like all the other girls who live here…"

She sighed and brought her arms up behind her head. "I _like_ being different, believe it or not." She shifted her eyes over in his direction and watched him dry his remaining tears on his sleeve, pleased to see that a small grin was still lucid on his lips.

There was a short silence, but it was quickly broken by the boy's hopeful voice: "Hey missy? What's your name? Mine's Mokuba Nakamura!"

She stared at him for a moment, her mouth slightly agape. 'Didn't Keiko say something about the Nakamura brothers earlier?' She quickly rented herself from her thoughts, deciding to dwell on it later. "Um…Tea. Tea Gardner."

Mokuba hopped up onto his knees and sat back on his shins, the dismal disposition that had once clouded his tiny visage no longer present. "Tea? Wow, that's a _very_ pretty name!"

"Oh, uh…thanks." She forced a small smile.

"Ya know, it feels like it's been a while. I'm gonna go see if my big brother came back yet…wanna come meet him? He's really nice, and the girls _always_ seem to love him. Why, I have _no_ idea…" His voice trailed off as he shrugged his shoulders and raised a brow in confusion.

Tea couldn't help but crack a diminutive smile. "That's okay, Mokuba. I think I'll just hang out here for a little bit longer. I'll catch ya later though, okay?"

The blue eyed boy looked slightly saddened by her decision, but his expression was quickly transformed into an eager smile as he replied, "Okaaaaaay, but _only_ if you promise to sit next to me at dinner tonight!"

Tea slowly nodded her head, but she was feeling slightly confused. Why was this boy being so nice to her? It's not like she had promised to be his best friend or anything…"Oh, uh…alright. You have yourself a deal." She held out her hand.

He immediately accepted her kind gesture. "YAY! Ok, see ya later Tea! And thanks for making me _feel_ better!" With that, he quickly jumped to his feet and ran off down the side of the house, disappearing around the corner.

'Well,' Tea thought as she watched the remainder of his shadow vanish behind the tall, brick wall, 'I guess that means that my theory was _way_ wrong…I wonder if there are any other kids like that little guy around here…"

**oOo**

_"Mom?"_

"_Yes dear?" _

"_What's…this?"_

"_Hmm?"_

"_This pretty ring with the blue jewel in the center…where did you get it?"_

"_Oh, that? Heh…would you believe me if I told you your father found that in a Cracker Jack box, 10 or 15 years ago?"_

"_No way!_ _This? But it looks so…"_

"_Real?"_

"_Yeah…I mean, don't you think so?"_

"_No, not really."_

"_Then why do you keep it in your jewelry box?"_

"_(laughs) Because Tea. Although this ring isn't worth more then a few pennies, it's priceless to me."_

"_But…why?"_

"_Because your father gave it to me after we had been going out for a month or so, and well…it still means a lot to me."_

"_Oh…I think…I see."_

"_Trust me. One day, when a boy that you really like gives you something, regardless of how invaluable it may seem, it'll still mean the world to you."_

"_I have lots of boys that are friends, but I don't LOVE any of them, nor have they ever randomly decided to give me cheap jewelry!"_

"_Right…so I'm saying when you do –"_

_(phone starts to ring)_

"_Oh, I'll be right back."_

"_No, no! Finish what you were saying first!"_

"_Hang on, Tea. It'll only take me a moment."_

"_But-"_

"_Tea…"_

"_Fine."_

"_Now don't give me that look…I'll be right back. Put that ring back where you found it, will you?"_

_(door shuts behind her)_

**oOo**

Tea eyes shot open as she bolted upright and stared daftly into the darkening sky, panting profusely. She was no longer sitting within the cozy confines of her home, nor was she accompanied by the peaceful presence of her mother. She was back where she had been subsequent to her hazy dream…

Back at the _orphanage_.

She quickly reached into her tee shirt and pulled out a long, purple shoelace that she had fastened securely around her neck, her mother's "priceless," blue-jeweled ring hanging buoyantly from the middle of the loop. She remembered grabbing it right before she had been taken away by the police…in fact, it was the _only_ thing she had even bothered to take. She permitted the people who took possession of her property to sell everything else, but not this…it was the last remaining element she had of her deceased mother – something she knew had been very important to her…

And that was something she _refused_ to lose.

She carefully enclosed the cheap stone within the palm of her hand, struggling to fight back the horrible tears that were beginning to penetrate her weary eyes. That _conversation_…it occurred only a few days before the accident. If only she had tried _harder_ to prevent her mother from leaving that room – _convinced_ her to finish their conversation. Then maybe…just maybe she wouldn't have bothered to answer that fateful call…the one that would invite both of her parents on outing that they'd _never_ return from…

But she didn't know then…know that they were going to die.

She slowly scooted along the cool, crisp grass until her back was once again resting against the sturdy bark of the weeping willow. She then carefully opened her palm and gazed wordlessly at the stone as the sun reflected luminously off its many grooves. This ring…although it was cheep and cheesy, it was still so beautiful…just like her mother had been before her face was insidiously mutilated by jagged pieces of shattered glass…

She was abruptly rented from her thoughts by the sound of a familiar voice: "Hey, _there _you are, kiddo! I've been lookin' _everywhere_ for ya! Just _what_ have you been doin' all this time…nappin'?"

Tea's face vaulted as she languidly lifted her fatigued eyes. There was only _one_ person who possessed a voice with such an irritating pitch…a person none other than that blonde bimbo, _Leela_.

"Tea? Hey, whatchya got there?"

The young girl let out a startled gasp and quickly obscured the tiny ring within her hands, retorting in a tedious tone, "_None_ of your _business_."

Leela stared at her for a moment, feeling slightly taken aback by the fact that the young brunette had actually _bothered_ to answer her, but succeeded in replying, "Um, okay then. I was just, uh…comin' to bring ya in for dinner." She smiled sheepishly as she thought, 'You _finally_ got her to talk to you, Leela…now, all ya gotta do is keep yourself from saying anything that'll make her retract back into her shell!'

Tea ignored her for a moment as she hastily dumped the ring in-between her zip-up and her tee shirt, pulled her sleeves over her hands, and folded her arms. "Not hungry."

Leela smiled. "Aw come on…we're havin' grilled hamburgers tonight! Ya know, I'm surprised that the smoke from the grill didn't disrupt your little nap."

Tea scowled. "Well, all the more reason for me _not_ to come…I don't _eat_ dead cows."

The blonde woman stayed silent for a moment before responding, a skeptical expression evident upon her face. "S'that so? And _why_ is it that a young girl like yourself is _not_ eatin' one of the few foods that children are practically _required_ to consume in order to grow up big and strong?" She raised a brow and placed one hand on her hip.

Tea rolled her eyes. "Now I get it…you're just another one of those _stupid_ dumb blondes who knows _everything _about _nothing_." The woman didn't seem to be fazed by her nasty comment, so she continued, being sure to state something that _would_: "I don't eat meat because my _mom_ never did."

The blonde bit her lower lip and cringed. 'Me and my _big_ mouth…I should already know that if I don't got somethin' nice to say, I shouldn't bother sayin' anythin' at all!'

"Can you _please_ leave me alone now?" She looked away from the woman and pouted. "I'm really not in the mood to talk."

Leela sighed and slowly shook her head. "Look Tea, I'm not asking you to talk…I'm only askin' that you to come in and eat a little somethin'. I haven't seen ya consume a single thing all –"

"I don't think you _heard_ me! I don't eat-"

"_And_, since ya don't eat any meat, I'm gonna allow ya to share _my_ food with me, 'cause believe it or not, _I'm_ a veggie eater too." She smiled briefly and nodded her head.

Tea's raised a suspicious brow. "S'that so? Heh…why am I _not_ surprised." She snarled and looked away. The woman was _seriously_ trying _way_ too hard.

Leela grinned as she leaned over, grabbed the girl by the arm, and pulled her up from the ground. "Yes, my dear…I _am_. Have been since I was 15 years old. Just be sure that you let Keiko know about this, 'cause she's the cook 'round here…and trust me, she makes the _best_ damn food ya ever tasted!"

Tea growled as the woman took her by the hand, and dragged her alongside the house until they reached the backyard. "I DON'T WANT YOUR _STUPID _FOOD!"

"And I really don't care. You're eating whether you _like_ it or _not_."

The brunette's eyes widened remarkably as she halted in mid-walk, retorting, "You have _no_ right to tell me what I _can_ and _can't_ do! YOU'RE NOT MY-"

"Mother?" Leela finished for her, a stern look clouding her once cheerful features. "You're right, kiddo…I'm _not_ your mother, but I'm the closest thing that you've got to one right now, so if I were you, I'd _watch_ what you say to me from now on." She gave the girl a menacing gaze. "_Got_ that?"

Oh yeah…she got it.

Tea eyes slowly reduced back to their normal size as she lowered her head in defeat. The woman was _right_. She didn't _have_ a mother or father anymore, and for the time being, her company and care would just _have_ to suffice. Besides, she had nowhere else to go…she was _alone_.

Noticing that she had finally triumphed over the disobedient brunette, Leela regained her smile and pulled the girl along. "Now come on…it's about time we got some food in ya and introduced you to all the other kids."

A soft, "hn" was all she received in response.

**ooOooOoo**

"Miss Keiko, did you make french fries this time? Cause you _promised_ me that you would yesterday, remember?"

"For the _millionth_ time, Michelle…_yes_. I made you your – (gasp) _GARY_! Get down from there, THIS _INSTANT_!"

"ANGELICA! SHIZUKA STOLE MY BALL AGAIN!"

"DID NOT!"

"DID TOO"

"DID NOT!"

"DID _FREAKIN'_ TOO!"

"Kira? Can you help me tie my shoe?"

"_Again_? Didn't we just do this, like, five minutes ago?"

"Um…I dunno. Did we?"

"GARY! GET DOWN!"

"ANGELICA!"

"HARU, YOU'RE A STUPID _LIAR_!"

"_ALRIGHT_ YOU TWO! Shizuka, would you please – _please_, I beg of you! Just give him back his –"

"DON'T YOU GET IT! HARU'S LYING!"

"AM NOT!"

"ARE TOO!"

"ENOUGH! Ug…Kira, where in _G-d's_ _name_ did you put the Advil? Because I'm gonna need at _LEAST_ four."

"Hey Keiko! Why am I the only one carrying in all this crap! And where the friggin' hell did Brad go?"

"JOEY! FIRST of all, Keiko's food _IS NOT_ crap. SECOND of all…"

(SMACK)

"OW! Dammit SAM! What the hell was that for!"

"For being a stupid jackass, _that's_ what!"

"LEELA! Are you leaving tonight? PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME AGAIN! PLEASE DON'T – "

"I'm not goin' anywhere until _after_ dinner, Cassie. You can relax."

"Oh. You're not? YAAAAAAY! SIT NEXT TO ME! SIT NEXT TO _ME_!"

"LIZZIE! PHONE!"

"WHO IS IT!"

"I THINK ITS JASON!"

"OHMIGOD! ON MY WAY!"

"LIZZIE, _NO_! Jason's a _meanie_! I mean, just yesterday I saw him trying to suffocate you with his –"

"O-KAAAAAY! That'll be _quite_ enough out of you, my little Lika…heh, heh. No need to get hasty now!"

"(gasp) Hey! What was _that_ for! I'm only trying to protect you!"

"SHIZUKA! I DEMAND THAT YOU GIVE BACK WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY _MINE_!"

"LEAVE ME _ALONE_! I DON'T _HAVE_ THE STUPID THING!"

"_ANGELICA_! MAKE HER GIVE IT BACK!"

"Aw, Shizuka, don't fret! It's just Haru's way of saying 'I love you.'"

"WHAT! **_ANGELICA_**!"

'Make it stop, make it stop, oh please God - MAKE IT ALL _STOP_!' Tea mentally screamed, throwing her hood over her head as she scrambled down the hall. She had managed to slip from the dining room and into corridor after her brief introduction, which, might she add, was probably heard by absolutely _no one_ due to the small fact that everyone was screaming at the top of their _FREAKIN'_ lungs…

Angelica, the fourth and final morbid ruler of this hellhole, was the one who had been given the honor of presenting her to the pack of mangy mutts. She had long, brown hair, violet eyes, and was built like a fricken super model. Upon having a small one-sided conversation with her – she was the one who obviously did all the talking – it turned out that the 20-year-old went to school during the day at a university 35 miles down the road, with the hopes of becoming a pro-soccer player. _Why_ the woman was bothering to waste her precious time _here_ of all places was an enigma in and of itself…

Community service, perhaps?

She collapsed on a cushy bench that sat on the far side of the hall, squeezed her head in-between her knees, wrapped her arms tightly around her scrunched legs, and stared despairingly down at the shadowy, wood floor beneath her. Oh God…was it _true_? Was this all _actually_ happening! Was she _really_ being forced to live here with all these repulsive children for the next eight, _dreadful_ years of her life? Is this how _all_ parentless children were destined to live? Like an uncivilized society with _no one _to keep them sane but a couple of unmarried, unqualified and _highly_ inexperienced _young people_!

Her dismal thoughts were quickly discontinued by the sound of a familiar voice coming from somewhere down the hall: "Come on, Seto! We just _have_ ta find her…she's _not_ in the dining room!"

"Alright, Mokuba, calm down. She was probably just beginning to feel a little bit _overwhelmed_ in there and left to be in a quieter place. I'm sure she couldn't have gone far," was the voice that replied.

Overwhelmed was putting it _lightly_, but she had to give the guy _some_ credit…he was _definitely_ on the right track.

"Tea! …TEA! …TEA, WHERE _ARE_ YOU!"

"Mokuba, wait up! I can't _run_ with my swollen ankle!"

"But Seto, we need to hurry! She may have gotten lost, or locked inside a closet, or trapped somewhere inside the basement, OR WORSE!"

"Come on, kiddo. I highly doubt she-"

"BESIDES…she had _promised_ to sit next to me at dinner tonight, and I _know_ she'd never lie…Tea's _way_ too nice!"

Oh yeah…she did, didn't she? She mentally smacked herself as she heard the sound of approaching footsteps, hurriedly making their way across the hardwood floor. 'Note to self…_never_ make promises to _anyone_ ever again.'

"Tea! Tea, where are…TEA! _There_ you are!"

_Damn_, was he was persistent…maybe if she didn't move, he'd go away…

Yeah…_right._

The young girl slowly released her head from its death grip between her knees, and solemnly stared after the young boy as he rushed over to where she sat. She _desperately_ wanted to run away, but knew that it was no longer an option at this point. She had already been defeated once…why not allow it to happen again? Then, the vicious cycle would continue, gradually draining whatever was left of her _dangerously_ low self-esteem…

"HI!" he remarked cheerfully, as he halted in front of her, an adorable toothy smile plastered across his congenial face. However, once he noticed the tedious look that Tea was using to return his jovial excitement, it quickly faded into a sad, bewildered stare. "Tea? Are you…_okay_?"

She lowered her had shamefully. "No…I'm not."

"But…why?"

"Because…"

"Because why?"

"Because Mokuba…because I just can't _take_ _it_ _anymore_!" Her sudden outburst appeared to have somewhat _startled_ the boy, for his eyes had grown wide in what seemed to be…_fear._ What the hell was his problem? What made him care so goddamn much!

"Tea? What's-"

"I don't want to _live_ here with all these loud and obnoxious children for the rest of my stupid life! I never even _wanted_ to come here in the first place, but _no_ _one_ bothered to give me a _choice_ in the matter! No one bothered to see how _I _felt about it! Oh _God…_"

Unable to suppress her grief any longer and unable to ignore the anguish that had painfully consumed her shattered heart, Tea buried her face in her arms and sobbed, her body violently trembling with each strenuous breath she took.

"I JUST WANT TO GO HOME!"

Mokuba gave his brother a sorrowful glance. "Is she…is Tea gonna be alright?"

A few moments after she had heard the boy speak uncertainly towards his accomplice, Tea felt someone gently tap her on the arm. Not wanting to be disturbed, she put on her best snarl and slowly raised her head to reveal a lethal glare, but…

It was only to come face to face with a white, fluffy tissue…

It appeared to be in the possession of a boy with silky brown locks, beautiful blue eyes, and a gentle smile on his lips. Her snarl quickly faded as she blinked in confusion. Who was _he_? This couldn't _possibly_ be Mokuba's brother…could it? The two looked nothing alike…well, aside from their eyes, of course.

"Hello there," he remarked softly. "It's about _time_ that I met the girl this little dude _refuses_ to keep quite about." He paused for a moment as he gave his companion a quick look. "I really appreciate what you did for him…not too many of the kids here really care about anyone but themselves. It's good to finally see someone _different_ for a change!" He shook the tissue a little and gave a quick nod of his head. "Here…take it. Looks like you could really use it."

Tea continued to gape at him in bewilderment as she carefully pulled the softened paper from his hands. "Um," she began, her voice full of skepticism. "W-who are _you_?"

He stared at her for a moment, looking rather perplexed, but that expression soon faded as he burst out laughing. "Oh, sorry…where are my manners? I'm Seto Nakamura…this little guy's older brother," he made a thumbing motion over towards Mokuba. "It's nice to finally meet you, Tea."

**ooOooOoo**

In case anyone had actually _noticed_, I made up Seto and Mokuba's last name - you know, the one they had prior to becoming members of the Kaiba family – because I have absolutely NO _IDEA_ what the heck it really was, let alone _know_ if Kazuki Takahashi had even _bothered_ to create one for them. (-.-") So yeah…that is why…in case _anyone_ was wondering.

ANYway, I hope ya'll enjoyed this! There'll either be one or two more chapters that portray Tea and Seto as children because there's a lot more that I still have to squeeze in between now and the present, so please…just bear with me ok? Now, I'd greatly appreciate it if you would all be so kind as to tell me what ya thought, ok? Thank you :D


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